IXLR8

I'll do it for $3500 and throw in a new set of Beru replacement cables.

He can now save $1000. Car must be delivered though.

certz

I'll drive out to MD with my tools and do it for $3,500

IXLR8

The economy that bad down there?

certz

Just expecting this debt deal to fall through and for everything to go in the crapper...again.

Steve 96C4S

Like I said, I told them that a local indie in Md. quoted me $4500 to do a 90k service and I thought it was very expensive. It was at this point that they said that sounds about right.

Look, I trust the place I took it to, which is why I was up front about what the Maryland guy said. I fully expected the Va. guy to say - $4500? $4500? That's nuts! But he didn't.

I'm a trusting person. I was highly recommended by many people (here) to bring it to this place in VA. It is what it is. No, I won't be paying $4500 to do the service! I get that. It got it.

And I don't know anyone locally on Rennlist that has the time or inclination or willingness to work on my car for me/with me - for a case of beer, for gourmet food, for some bucks, etc. Heck, if I did, I would have reached out to someone for sure! Plus, I'm not really good at asking for help like this unless they lived really close to me and were willing, and there's literally no one that lives close to me that I know well enough to ask.

So that's out. Ok, I just called 2 shops - one is my local dealer down the street $1400 for a 90k service. Called another indie in VA. and he said $1400 - 1500. He said it's basically the same as the 30K.

Whew. I think ... "Houston - we have a problem". There must have been a gross miscommunication somewhere here when talking to these 2 indies that said it was $4500. Maybe it was an accent thing? Maybe it's my hearing? Maybe it's... I don't know. A mistake?

Bottom line - Whew. Big, Whew. (that's the sigh of relief).

Cheers,
Steve

e9stibi

Try to source all parts either from Sunset Porsche and/or Pelican (and Oil from Walmart). You might contact FisterD here on rennlist, too for a quote of a 90k tune-up kit. Very convenient, high quality parts and BIG savings compared to most of the shops.

Quadcammer

meh, if he's going to an indy, he should probably let them source the parts.

vjd3

You might push $16-1800 or so if you add in some other things ... gearbox oil change, brake flush, etc. -- but I just paid about $1200 for my basic 90k.

NC TRACKRAT

Steve-
Let's get back to that intermittent start problem. I had the very same symptom with my C2S and solved it by by-passing the clutch micro-switch at the base of the pedal cluster. You can do a search to get details but I haven't had a "no start" since I did away with it. Good Luck!

Steve 96C4S

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!!!!!!!!! Thank you. I'll call my shop and tell them to do that FIRST.

As far as the other stuff, thanks guys. I did just happen to call the original shop here in MD. that told me $4500 and asked them again how much a 90K service is. I thought they would say something like "Didn't I just tell you that 2 weeks ago when you called" but he didn't remember talking to me about it I guess and quoted me $2500 - $3000. And this was supposed to be a small little shop that was going to be a cost savings. I was referred to him by a guy a work that takes his Boxster there and said the guy was great.

Oh vey.

With indie's like that I can just use the dealer instead and have a REALLY nice Audi loaner car for the day instead of paying for a rental car.

DC from Cape Cod

He sounds like a farkin crook - you should tell us who the fark he is so we can stay the fark away from him.

CorrdoBrit

Do you guys with 96+ models have to depress the clutch before the starter will engage. Its one of my pet peeves on the Audi A3. Another reason to like the 95.

Steve 96C4S

Ok, so I just talked to my trustworthy indie and he said a 90K mile service is usually around $1200-1300 pts and labor. I guess he didn't hear me right the other day or there was a miscommunication when I said the other guy said it was $4500.

In any case, there's bad news. The front tires are shot beyond belief and down to the metal core which is why it felt like it was shaking at 50 mph (Why didn't the other 2 indies tell me that about this I wonder when it was at their shops? Guess they didn't notice it). I didn't notice it either when I clean it.

The ignition wires are coming apart and are completely rotted on the bottom so that has to be attended to.

There's some other stuff but he said to just go on vacation this week and they'll inspect it some more and let me now what options - things I could fix now and things I could wait on.

This is like a soap opera.

MDamen

My 96 doesn't require the clutch to be depressed to start. I've surprised myself a couple times when I thought it was in neutral.

Mark in Baltimore

Steve,

This is not bad news nor is it a soap opera; it's called "deferred maintenance". Ain't no big deal.

Think of all of the years and miles you've gotten out of the car without having had to address or even think about these issues. Front tires take forever to wear out, so I'm guessing that you've been on borrowed time for, oh, the last two plus years. When you go down to the cords, you have absolutely ensured that you've left nothing on the table as far as extra miles.